marg26

Most copyrighted music allows you to use it as long as you take a hit with the ads and aren't monetizing your channel. Never seen an ad thanks to adblockers.

Does that mean I can't suggest you mix it up and ask if brakeless-enduro could be a thing? You could ride up trees etc just to keep your speed in check.

I came across a bunch of Japanese trials how-to videos on youtube, and one about the importance of relaxing interested me where they use a wall to assist with relaxing in a trackstand, something I felt I needed to do more (as I expend more energy in trackstands than I think I should). But of course I didn't remember the video correctly by the time I got out to ride (as what happens with every instructional video I watch). Rather than ride parallel to the wall and then turn toward it into a trackstand, I've been practising (2 lunch times in a row and this evening) riding straight up to a wall or kerb at 90°, front wheel straight, and heaping loads of pressure onto my leading foot to keep front wheel against the wall. There's been a few occasions where I've succeeded in maintaining balance for longer than a couple of seconds. Not sure now after rewatching the video if it's something I should be doing or not! Not sure if it's helping me with balance, though I may have noticed some improvement to my fakies. Also succeeded in increasing the weird looks and comments from passers by.

Subtle isn't it

Got my day ticket now. Still not decided which day to go. Messaged them late night last week on FB but probably waffled on too much or something and they forgot - but probably will just go with whichever day turns out to be the more convenient.

Anyone in if I make a trials-forum Strava club? I just think Strava needs more trials rides on it, just so people see cycling isn't just about distance/ascent/descent/etc, and would be cool to see trials bikes/riding photos on there too.

I've been out practising trials for 9 months. Usually twice a week, roughly an hour each time. Sometimes more sometimes less. I also cycle to work daily which provides a little scope for additional practice (on a rigid MTB), but don't often have time. 1) I can't front wheel hop. 2) I can rear wheel hop, can do more than 15 hops if I really try. Find it difficult to stay on the spot. Have some control over moving forwards/backwards from an obstacle, but no precision, and can't hop onto things. 3) I can't manual. 4) I could track stand for more than a minute if I really wanted to (but I'd have to want to). Am a bit wobbly to start with, and towards the end (of a mintue). 5) Can just about pivot 180, in my natural direction, but barely past 90 in opposite direction (not practised enough). Frequently feel like I'm useless at trials and get quite negative about it like I shouldn't be out riding on a street trials bike. A trials bike can sometimes create expectations from observers, so having nowhere private to practice can be a bit frustrating at times. There's loads of videos on youtube from people who have started trials recently or others who've been riding longer to give you an idea of what's achievable or not. As said, it is really difficult, but frequently made to look so easy by the pros.

It can be a bit bewildering sometimes knowing where to start as there are so many moves and it seems not enough time & energy! I started out (late last year) wanting to ride street trials, and didn't really find pure trials that interesting, but practising the basic skills has given me much more appreciation for pure trials and curious as to how I'd find a pure trials bike (not that I'm considering buying one anytime soon). Manuals are definitely one of those trickier moves that I put off focusing on. I keep telling myself it will come from all that practice of rear wheel hops, but still haven't dedicated any time to practising them. In my mind rear hops are more an essential skill, whereas manuals are a bit more flamboyant. Any way thanks Mark, definitely some things I can think about while out riding to help decide what to focus on.

I've been wondering lately how much I should resist the easy escape route of pedalling away out of some attempt to do something when I feel it's starting to not go in the right direction? When I first started I used the momentum of just riding along a lot more, but I've moved to attempting the same manoeuvres without the aid of momentum. For instance getting the front wheel up on ledge, pausing to find balance/stability, then pivoting on it to bring the rear wheel up, or doing the same to get up a small set of shallow steps (combined with lucky timing). It can sometimes feel like I spend more time riding in circles back to the start point rather than committing to achieving the manoeuvre. A related question, due to practising the above slower/balance/control skills more (as well as rear wheel hops) I'm getting commitment issues on the more dynamic moves, such as bunny hopping up concrete ledges I've done without too much difficulty within the last few months, or fear of harsh landings dropping off higher (for me) ledges. But being a bit of a late starter (40+) at this, my arms can suffer. Suspect the answer is practice more, mix it up a bit, and warm up/down properly, etc, but thought I might as well post on the internet about it

I'm considering coming along to this for one day, just wondering if one of the days might be more suitable for a beginner to ride than another?

Margate. There's a several spots near me I ride, but also potential for riders into doing bigger stuff too. Any time from six just to give me a chance to get home and get sorted. Closest thing to natural round here would be the boulders used as wave breaks (and a small group of rocks near the train station). Let me know if still interested and I'll pm you my number and somewhere to park/meet. Doubtful that Margate would be considered amongst the best UK trials spots though.

Another video of beginner skills, this time on holiday on the MTB on natural stuff, so hard!

Ah was hoping I might get to ride with a real trials rider :-) but with work and that wouldn't be able to get over there. I know the bubble a bit, but not been there since getting into trials riding. I expect there's stuff on the sea front with boats and that with potential to look good on camera.

Whereabouts in Kent are you visiting? As far as Thanet?

Any of you signed up to storm Area 51 on 20th September?

Nothing exciting, still a beginner:

I find with Zee & standard Zee pads on my 24" Console I have to consciously grab the rear a little harder than the front. But that might just be a beginner getting used to needing lots of brake on the rear. Question: Trialtech Sport or EBC red?

The obvious things really: Ibuprofen after food. Avoid sleeping on belly. Plenty of rest, but also gentle neck/shoulder exercises to avoid stiffness, steering clear from extreme range of motion (pain will probably manage that for you). But probably better off seeing a professional and not taking the advice of some numpty like me on the internet ;-) Stuff like this: For warm ups, look at bodyweight warm ups, and, there's an exercise thread on here that introduced me to CARS exercise which I've found pretty useful for my wrists/elbows/shoulders (but the kind of stuff I'd be too embarrassed to do in public).

At least there isn't any slowmo roosting going on.

Hi. Similar boat to me. Nothing to add other than have fun!

Georgeous weather. Sea looked beautiful. Hadn't knackered myself out before hand so no negativity colouring the ride. Personal best rear hops, 15 in a row.

If I'd have known six months ago that you don't need a street trials bike to do this sort of riding who knows where I'd be by now.

Yeah don't believe that! Started six months ago at 43. Trying to get out a couple of times a week for an hour each time. Due to riding MTB for ten years, I found a few things I'd being doing already that helped, and are fun, but it's the fundamental skill of stability/balance/control that really needs the graft putting into it to get the real rewards. I'm still not there with the fundamental basics, but as above, seeing micro-progress. Patience with yourself to deal with the frustration of not progressing as fast as you want will help! Another difficulty I personally found was to get on the bike and focus on practising just one thing over and over again. I've seen others (on youtube) in a similar position (age/experience) who seem to find that easy, but for me, for instance it's taken over six months until I've actually put any time and effort into practising rear hops!

Found this nice little spot this afternoon. I knew there was a line of rocks along the side of the road from before I started trying to do trials, but never spotted this. There's a line I can almost just ride over (start on rock rear wheel leaning against and heading through the gap toward RH arrow), but beyond my skill level to do it with real trials control.

FWIW: I only really chose to ride street* trials six months ago, am in my early forties. Stopped riding bikes after my teens until I started riding MTB in my 30's, mainly XC, a few small jumps and drops, etc. I moved to a coastal town a few years ago, nearer to work, which meant I could cycle to work easily which was about the only thing I could think of doing to help the environment. Partner still has a car but she needs it most weekends so most of my rides are from the doorstep. Unfortunately my local area is poor for MTB, it lacks real singletrack, and there's only small pockets of woodland by parks. What is does have are lots of stairsets and ledges to practice drops, and other obstacles that I started trying to ride up trying to keep my technical skills fresh. That was the primer for me looking at trials with more interest. The other primer was riders on youtube, with Sam Pilgrim, Fabio Wibmer, Ali Clarkson, really being the people I watched most in the previous couple of years who opened my mind to trials where previously I had been quite dismissive of it. I kind of feel a bit selfish about it, as my second son was born at the start of the year, and they're both hard work so time is limited, but I need to do something, my social life is dead! Other less physical but majorly time consuming hobbies have fallen away over the years, and the physicality of trials means I don't have the energy to spend hours and hours on it. An hour of trials two or three times a week fits in well. Just taking baby steps at it. * I can only say I ride street trials because that's the style of bike I have, my riding skills aren't enough to be categorised.